The SAPD is conducting a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint on Friday night

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI / Driver’s License checkpoint on Friday September 6th, 2019. It will begin at 9:00PM and is scheduled to conclude at 2:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 100 N Ross Street, in the City of Santa Ana.

The primary purpose of a DUI Checkpoint is to deter impaired driving, not to increase arrests. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI / Driver’s License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver’s license. The DMV reports that unlicensed drivers are 4.9 times more likely to cause a fatal crash than a licensed driver is.

The checkpoint will be staffed by officers trained in the detection of alcohol and drug impairment to provide on-the-spot assessments of drivers suspected o f alcohol or drug impairment. All checkpoints are conducted in accordance with the guidelines for DUI checkpoint operations outlined in the California Supreme Court decision, Ingersoll v. Palmer.

This operation is NOT connected to any immigration enforcement action. Given Santa Ana’s Sanctuary City designation, as defined in Santa Ana Ordinance NS-2908, the ordinance prohibits members of the Santa Ana Police Department from engaging in any immigration enforcement within the City limits. Public safety requires community partnerships, and engaging in immigration enforcement operations erodes the trust necessary to provide effective public safety services in our City.

All vehicles may be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and / or drugs will be arrested. Our objective is to send a clear message to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and / or drugs – Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest. The public is encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 911 if they see a suspected impaired driver. Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.